Friday, 12 August 2011

A new style of Parliamentary reporting

Following the post below, I propose a new version of 'Hansard' to report on MPs' debates on the looting and criminality of the lower orders. It would go something like this;

Gerald Kaufman (£43,564 expenses including 4 grapefruit bowls at £540) I condemn the naked greed of these criminals and their taking advantage of their pampered and privileged opportunities ..David Wilshire (£160,532 expenses including £100k on a flat 15 miles from main home) My honourable friend has hit the nail on the head. This is not about ideology, it's sheer naked greedJohn Healey (£84,562 expenses including £6,194 for renovating his kitchen) We should understand a little less and condemn a little more, Mr Speaker; only tough action against these feral youths will ...Speaker (£146,780 expenses) Order! Order! Members must set an example to young people!

First class idea, Mr Raedwald. However, the data in brackets are somewhat edited: for instance, there is no mention of Mr Kaufman's £8000 claim for a Bang + Olufson telly. I can't help feeling that if the full lists of their misdemeanours were to be listed they would exceed the length of these MPs' actual words.

In a similar vein, I have never understood why when we receive a bill for Electricity, Gas or Water, or a reciept for Petrol or Diesel, the ammount of the bill which is taxes of various sorts, is not shown prominently in red. It would help a lot of people realise just how much is being taken from us by the Government.

All price labels and invoices should be required to show the amount of tax included. This is done for VAT now and could easily be extended. Surely of all 'human rights' we have the right to know what the tax eaters are taking from us.